Ok, so I've been using Animallica and Immersive Wildlife lately and it got me thinking that Skyrim really needs a wildlife overhaul that enriches and redefines Skyrim rather than adding more enemy types or more varied animal types. While both these mods are great for adding more variety, neither really create a cohesive whole for the province.

Inspired by the wildlife of Morrowind, I'm suggesting a mod which would add new original animal types that fit the conanesque tundra and forests of Skyrim, giving Skyrim an overarching brutal style like silt striders and netches did for Morrowind.

Here are some basic ideas:

1) Mastodons:

http://www.tarpits.org/sites/all/themes/tarpits/images/timeline/01-mastadon.jpg

http://f.tqn.com/y/dinosaurs/1/S/O/U/-/-/mastodonCRK.jpg

http://stephenmoorefineart.com/bluegrasswild/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/american_mastodon.jpg

I could see these all over the tundra of Skyrim along with the common mammoth. They could be also be grazing in the more wooded areas on trees, perhaps in the Rift. Basically these could be literally everywhere in Skyrim without it seeming off.

2) Wooly Rhinos:

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/naturelibrary/images/ic/credit/640x395/w/wo/woolly_rhinoceros/woolly_rhinoceros_1.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/90/11/61/901161ee334ad89dad09c00fbc1589e6.jpg

http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/42-466838981.jpg

This was added by Animallica but I'm pretty sure it was only with the tropical version. I'll have to double check. Another good contender for the tundra and perhaps The Pale. I could see these being hunted by bandits along with Mastodons. These kinds of live events could give some life to Skyrim, showing the brutal nature of life in the north.

3) Giant Wooly Apes

http://weeklyworldnews.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bigfoot_skullc.jpg

Something a bit different could be giant wooly apes not unlike the bigfoot archetype, perhaps there could be variants with horns and such. I could see these all throughout the forested regions like Falkreath Hold, the Rift and the Reach especially. They could be seen collecting berries and hunting local fauna while also occasionally preying on local Nord farms, attacking families as live events. They could also inhabit caves and grottos, guarding treasure they stole from travellers or from long abandoned tombs.

4) Platybelodon:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/bc/d6/18/bcd618cba5f982b9fcf31c2317101020.jpg

http://x1.fjcdn.com/comments/How+about+the+Platybelodon+a+strange+prehistoric+elephant-like+creature+_187c85914a613b410c78497587ae88fd.jpg

http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Prehistoric-Elephant-Had-In-Built-quot-Spork-quot-Wasn-t-Exactly-Good-Looking-388895-2.jpg

Another good prehistoric animal that would fit right into the Skyrim landscape. I could see these guys mostly in the Rift among the trees around ponds and rivers as well as in Eastmarch wading through the pools.

5) Deinotherium:

http://img07.deviantart.net/abf2/i/2015/123/7/9/deinotherium__quot_thraciensis_quot__by_dibgd-d22nvaf.jpg

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_04Hu12UU1o/maxresdefault.jpg

These could be seen in the more forested regions such as Falkreath Hold along the banks of the river as well as the Rift, but could not be uncommon in the tundra either.

6) Megatherium:

https://www.google.com/search?q=megatherium&biw=1680&bih=881&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI0uiF0fjJyAIVgriACh3A5QhX

http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/82828571-illustration-of-megatherium-protecting-calf-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=Gm8Fmr5ws3fWlmIKD3cfN4qfgZjF9RYk70hNOsfNaTHXNP7smKeqJJhSK0a5Bv%2BxeQLKWBsw5mnFf6zkI%2Fb1Lw%3D%3D

http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/the-slow-megatherium-was-no-match-charles-r-knight.jpg

http://get.whotrades.com/u3/photoFC1D/20988684523-0/blogpost.jpeg

The perfect animal for the Rift. I could see them climbing on the aspen trees, perhaps eating berries or bark. These slow moving wooly sloth like creatures would be easy prey for saber cats. Mostly harmless to players unless provoked which could then knock out a humanoid with their massive claws.

7) Giant whales, belugas, narwhals, etc...

http://wallpoper.com/images/00/41/79/43/animals-whales_00417943.jpg

http://www.ukogorter.com/merchandise/p7lsm_img_2/fullsize/marine-mammals-salish-sea-poster_fs.jpg

http://static-5.nexusmods.com/15/images/110/4216862-1345479223.jpg

http://static-2.nexusmods.com/15/images/110/4216862-1344340226.jpg

There were several whale models made a few years back on the Nexus forums that needed to be rigged to work in Skyrim. These would be perfect for the Sea of Ghosts, rising out of the bleak ocean to breathe and potentially being fodder for whalers and pirates. Also, more aggressive whale types could attack the player if he or she swims too far out to sea.

8) Chalicotherium:

http://listverse.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/chalicothere-tm.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e9/ea/d5/e9ead5abac30bb3e7feda22c645c96e7.jpg

I could see these in the Rift and Eastmarch.

9) Giant Beavers:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/66/ce/0c/66ce0cb115cc2be90b1d9a2ea767226a.jpg

These would do well all along the southern edge in the Rift, Pine Forest and the Reach all the way up to Solitude.

10) Arctic Sharks:

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/npd5f2qpEd0/hqdefault.jpg

http://usercontent1.hubimg.com/9074660.jpg

I could see these in the Sea of Ghosts hunting on the whales and the player if he or she swims too far out. Could also be in Solitude bay.

11) Bog creatures.

Giant grasshoppers and dragonflies for the marsh. Eels. Giant snails. Trilobyte like creatures crawling through the reeds.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mastodons&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMI-_yRjeTJyAIVzJiACh1JbA-T&biw=1680&bih=881#tbm=isch&q=eels

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT1ckhKjzZQz6QgVHggU4hbzKcvozvgiiKJ5qQP8UpsYr5kgg9Q

http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/time/puppets/images/Trilobite.jpg

http://wp.sbcounty.gov/cao/countywire/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Trilobite.jpg

So yeah, this would be my ideal mod to transform Skyrim from the more generic fantasy world into a much more distinct, brutal, and primal land where giant bizarre northern creatures prowl the harsh landscape for survival. Anyone interested in such a mod?